PAOAY —
Seventy-three participants of the Nissan ride and drive program have
experienced the toughness and elegance of Navara NP 300 after the pickup
brought them to the famed windmill farm, a 450-year-old church and sand
dunes in this territory without any difficulty.All those driving the Navara NP 300 were able to feel the torque power of the pick up as it maneuvers to the deep sand dunes without any problem.
The participants’ day started early when they got their vehicle assignment of Plaza del Norte and brought them to the nearest gasoline station located eight kilometers away.
After filling the diesel tank, the participants drove more than 60 kilometers to reach the first destination — the windmills of Bangui, Ilocos Norte.
The adventure to see the 20 windmills, one of the major sources of power in the Ilocos region, was followed by another 80-kilometer drive to the iconic Paoay church.
The baroque-designed church is one of the very few remaining in the world aside from those found in Portugal.
The church adventure was followed by a 27-kilometer ride going to the sand dunes where participants took turns in trying the 4X4 Navara NP 300.
Participants were amazed about the toughness of the vehicle as it easily cruised along the deep sand dunes.
The sand dunes are familiar to cinema fans as these were the locations of the Panday epic movie starring the late Fernando Poe Jr.
Daximilan Avenido, Nissan Philippines Inc. manager, said the Ilocandia territory is not the original venue of the ride and drive activity but Cagayan de Oro.
However, the terrible incident involving the killing of elite policemen prompted Nissan Philippines to find new location.
“Because if it’s held there, the drive will be from CdO to Davao; that’s about 200 kilometers,” the manager told The Daily Tribune in an interview.
Avenido said the tour of the Ilocandia region is more interesting than the cruise between CdO and Mindanao.
“What they have there is a straight road unlike here where there are plenty of exciting places to see,” the manager said.
